Brantley Ready To Step Into World Of Greatness

August 27, 1987|By Joe Williams of The Sentinel Staff

Sometime later this year, a smalltown boy from Wildwood, should make it big in major college football.

John Brantley, a senior linebacker at the University of Georgia, seems destined to run smack dab into fame in much the same manner he meets fullbacks busting through the Bulldogs' defensive line. The world, and Georgia fandom, lay waiting at his feet. By the end of this season, he could be remembered as the best linebacker Georgia's ever had.

Brantley may need a U-Haul to get all his awards and honors home.

He already has garnered a couple and the season opener against Virginia is still nine days away. The Sporting News ranks him the ninth best inside linebacker in the country. He is listed among the top contenders for the Butkus Award, given annually by the Downtown Orlando Athletic Club to the top collegiate linebacker in the nation. He was a second-team All-Southeastern Conference performer last season. This year, All-America honors also could come.

Brantley also has his sights set on breaking Georgia's single season and career total tackle records. A career in the NFL could be waiting.

It's been quite a whirlwind four years for Brantley, who is carrying a 2.4- grade-point average and should graduate next spring with a degree in marketing. Brantley is on top of the world.

''I couldn't be happier with what I've done and what I've accomplished,'' said Brantley, who has filled out to be 6-feet-3, 232 pounds. ''Not everything has gone as well as I would have liked, but that's the way life is. You have to learn to deal with setbacks.

''Being in contention for it the Butkus is a great honor. It's the most prestigious award a linebacker can earn.''

The only other recipient of the Butkus Award has been Oklahoma's Brian Bosworth, who won it in consecutive years. This will be the third Butkus awarded.

Brantley and Bosworth, who is now with the Seattle Seahawks, may share the same position, but that's where the similarities end. Unlike ''The Boz,'' Brantley doesn't antagonize opponents. He doesn't have a punk hairstyle. Believe it or not, he doesn't even like to hurt people. Well, at least not too bad. You'll never hear Brantley say UCLA plays ''girls football'' like Bosworth did. And Brantley's never put extra parts in dashboards of cars on an assembly line, like Bosworth once bragged about doing.

But Brantley is a flamboyant and emotional player.

''I do go out to play hard and hit hard, but I'm not the kind of guy who goes out and cuts down his opponents. I respect my opponents,'' Brantley said. ''Sure, I'll talk a little trash to the quarterback. I'll say things like: 'I'm going to get you this time.' That's part of the game. But I don't do anything like spitting in their face when I get them down.

''I'd rather do my job by playing physical. That can say a lot more than words ever could.''

Brantley's not an angel by any means. He's had his problems. He sat out the Hall of Fame Bowl game in Tampa last December for disciplinary reasons after becoming involved in a bar fight.

''It was embarrassing to me and Head Coach Vince Dooley and to the school,'' Brantley said of the fight. ''I was ashamed of what happened.

''Basically, I'm a pretty calm guy.''

Can you say apologize? Brantley can. Bosworth, who was ruled ineligible for last year's Orange Bowl game because traces of steroids were found in his system, apparently can't. Instead of apologizing, Bosworth attacked the NCAA and its drug testing practices.

Brantley, who is expected to return to practice today after missing a week with a hamstring injury, has had 114 solo tackles and 146 assists in the last two years. Twenty of those tackles have been for losses, including seven quarterback sacks. He's intercepted three passes and broke up seven others.

His goal for this season is to average 19 tackles a game. If he does that, he'll break the single season tackle record of 171 and the career record of 467. Brantley, who had 160 tackles last season, ended 12 hits shy of breaking the single season record.

''I know that 19 per game seems like a high total, but when you break it down, it really isn't that high,'' he said. ''It's only averaging five tackles a quarter for three quarters and four tackles in the other quarter.''

Nineteen tackles a game is a lofty goal, despite his rationale. But then, Brantley wouldn't be where he is today if he didn't set his sights high.